Conventionally, there have been known sheet cosmetics applied to the skin formed of a supporting sheet which is coated or impregnated with a gel composition containing, for example, a humectant or a whitening agent. The supporting sheet used above has an adequate level of strength and a shape-maintaining property as sheet cosmetics. Thus, the sheet cosmetics, is which the active ingredient is impregnated, are employed in order to attain effects such as permeating active ingredients to the skin and improving smoothness of the skin.
Generally, such a supporting sheet is formed of woven fabric or non-woven fabric. When the supporting sheet is coated or impregnated with a gel composition, the sheet becomes thicker. Therefore, such sheet cosmetics provide incongruent sensation during use. In addition, no such sheet of transparent appearance has been developed.
The gel composition applied or impregnated to the supporting sheet includes a natural polymer such as collagen, alginic acid or pullulan, or a synthetic polymer such as a cross-linked poly(acrylic acid) salt. Among these materials, a natural polymer material such as collagen or alginic acid, having high solubility in a cosmetic lotion or a similar product, exhibits insufficient shape-maintaining property as a cosmetic. In addition, because large amounts of sheet ingredients remain on the skin, such sheet cosmetics provide sticky sensation. To improve weakness of adhesion to the skin, an adhesive ingredient such as polyvinylpyrrolidone, poly(vinyl alcohol), or a poly(acrylic acid) salt is contained to the gel composition, or is formed into an adhesive surface layer (e.g., as disclosed in Japanese Kohyo Patent Publication No. 10-502359). However, such adhesive ingredients disadvantageously inhibit permeation of active ingredients and impart stickiness.